1. Using special school techniques to improve literacy
Outreach Service
Severndale Specialist School for
Communication and Interaction

2. Setting the scene Shropshire has a school population of 38,198
18.73% of pupils with SEN
2.4% of pupils have statements
We cater for approximately 0.72% of that population
Severndale Special School
Opened April 1995
Projected 120 pupils aged 5 -19
Current 276 pupils aged 5 – 19 and 31 pupils aged 2½ - 5

3. Provision has developed as a result of:
Beacon Status
Leading Edge Partnership
Specialist School Status
Severndale Specialist School - Communication & Interaction
Training provider for Shropshire Council
Early Years Education and Childcare Team
Edge Hill University
Health providers

4. Severndale Outreach Service
Offers support to mainstream schools with pupils who have complex learning difficulties
Currently 231pupils
Includes training e.g. ASD, Complex Needs, Makaton, Elkan and bespoke packages
Judith Pilkington will focus on one important aspect of our outreach work

5. Students with learning disabilities
Valuing People (2001) definition
Significantly reduced ability to understand new or complex information and/or learn new skills with
Reduced ability to learn independently

6. Supporting the development of literacy skills
Impact of the brain on literacy
Gathering of baseline data
Planning & evaluating interventions

7. Impact of functioning of the brain
Frontal Lobe
Problem solving
Working memory
Reasoning
Parietal Lobe
Processing sensory input
Occipital Lobe
Letter/word/picture recognition
Temporal Lobe
Listening skills
Long term memory
Production of language
Cerebellum
Slower processing
Automates some processes

8. Stages of learning Structures: attention, language
Processes: memory, recall, fluency
Higher order: understanding concepts, organisation, using & transferring knowledge

9. Gathering baseline data
Assessment tools to identify specific areas of strengths and needs
Active Literacy Kit
Units of Sound
The Listening Test

10. Planning & evaluating interventions
Organisation of the school
Inclusion agenda
Student voice
Knowledge of effective practice

15. Summary Success in applying specialist techniques
Matching technique to specific areas of difficulty
Providing tools, time and support
Consolidation and transfer of new learning

16. Contact details Chris Davies Judith Pilkington Headteacher
Severndale Specialist School for Communication and Interaction
Judith Pilkington
Assistant Headteacher, Outreach Service
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